Chapter 140: The Hypocrisy of Bushido

"Looks like you've got some real skill. I'll give you that—you're an interesting opponent."

Leo flicked his cigar into the snow, a cold glint of amusement flickering in his deep-set eyes. "But... a successor to Musashi Miyamoto named Sasaki Kojiro? Now that's rich."

"And you Japanese, you're still the same backstabbing cowards you've always been. Just like how you refuse to own up to your war crimes from World War II—always playing these pathetic mind games, lying to yourselves."

At Leo's cutting insult, a flush of rage spread across Sasaki Kojiro's cold face.

"Bastard!"

Sasaki gripped his blade with both hands, murderous intent blazing in his narrow eyes. "You arrogant American dog! How dare you insult the supreme glory of the Japanese Empire! Today, in the name of bushido, I will cut you into pieces and wash away this humiliation!"

"Bushido?"

Leo laughed as if he'd just heard the joke of the century. "You hid in the shadows like a dog, watching the show. You waited until I'd slaughtered most of your worthless allies before slinking out to scavenge the scraps."

"This shameless, gutless behavior—that's what you call bushido?"

The three women standing behind Leo caught on immediately and joined in the mockery without mercy.

"This Japanese guy talks a big game about bushido, but everything he does is straight out of a rat's playbook," Ivy said, spinning her gun with a mocking grin.

Serafina lazily swept her red hair back, her beautiful eyes full of contempt. "So-called Japanese samurai are just a bunch of sneaky bastards who love stabbing people in the back. Hypocrisy is in their DNA."

Charlotte was even more ruthless. "Why waste your breath on him? He's just some Japanese lapdog working for European oligarchs. What right does he have to talk about bushido?"

"You filthy women! I'll rip your mouths apart!"

Sasaki was so enraged by their taunts that his killing intent practically became tangible.

"To deal with hypocritical trash like you, I don't even need to draw a blade."

Leo smirked and walked over to a withered pine tree that had been broken in the earlier fighting. He snapped off a dry branch about 3.5 feet long.

Holding the brittle stick in one hand, he pointed it directly at Sasaki's nose.

"Today, I'm going to teach you a lesson with this branch."

Seeing Leo intend to face his legendary blade with a dead tree branch, Sasaki Kojiro felt utterly humiliated.

"Arrogant fool! Ignorant pig!"

Sasaki laughed bitterly, his face twisted with rage. "This katana has been passed down for hundreds of years! It can cut through iron like butter! And you dare insult me with a broken stick! You'll pay for your arrogance in blood!"

"You talk too much." Leo waved lazily. "Come here and die."

"Die!!!"

Sasaki exploded with fury. His wooden sandals slammed into the snow as he charged at Leo with a deadly blade aura.

But Leo didn't retreat. Instead, he swung the dry branch straight at the incoming blade!

Clang!

A piercing metallic clash echoed across the hilltop!

To Sasaki's absolute horror, his prized katana—upon striking the branch—felt like it had hit an impenetrable steel fortress!

Not only did the branch remain intact, but a violent shockwave reverberated through his hands, numbing them.

"This... this is impossible!"

Sasaki's eyes nearly bulged out of his skull, disbelief written all over his face.

This man had infused his terrifying physical strength perfectly into the branch, making it harder than steel!

"What are you staring at? Is that all your bushido's got?"

Leo snorted coldly, and the branch in his hand became a blur!

Crack!

A sharp sound rang out!

Leo's branch lashed out like a whip, smashing into Sasaki's cheek!

A deep crimson welt exploded across Sasaki's face, spinning him half a turn on the spot!

Before Sasaki could react—

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Leo closed in like a ghost, the dead branch raining down on Sasaki in a merciless barrage!

Shoulder! Back! Thigh!

Each strike carried devastating force!

The master swordsman Sasaki Kojiro was now being beaten like a misbehaving child, cowering under Leo's branch with no way to fight back!

"Ahhh! Damn it!!!"

Sasaki was covered in blood, utterly disheveled, his heart filled with humiliation and shock.

His prized swordsmanship, in the face of this man's absolute strength and speed, seemed laughable—completely suppressed!

Crack!

In the distance, Sawyer and Wayne—who had been hiding behind their bodyguards—nearly lost their minds at the sight.

"Even Sasaki can't beat him! Run! Get out of here!!!"

Sawyer was completely terrified.

While everyone's attention was on the battle, he and Wayne, under the desperate cover of a few loyal guards, scrambled into an armored vehicle and fled into the snowstorm.

In the center of the battlefield.

Sasaki, beaten bloody by Leo's branch, caught sight of Sawyer's escape out of the corner of his eye. His humiliation transformed into venomous rage.

"Ahhh! I will not suffer this disgrace!"

As a rabid dog backed into a corner, Sasaki squeezed every ounce of potential from his body!

His eyes bloodshot, he slashed at Leo's waist in a desperate, suicidal strike!

This blow was several times faster and stronger than before!

Leo frowned slightly and raised the branch to block.

Crack!

With a brittle snap, under the force of Sasaki's life-burning counterattack, the branch—which had endured tremendous power—finally gave way and broke in two!

"Hahaha! Die!"

Seeing the branch shatter, Sasaki's eyes blazed with manic joy. The sharp blade continued its deadly trajectory toward Leo's heart!

Leo was forced to take half a step back!

But Sasaki's wild grin lasted less than a tenth of a second.

Facing the fatal strike aimed at his heart, Leo showed no panic. Instead, his deep eyes erupted with abyssal violence!

"I'm done playing. Time for you to die!"

Instead of retreating, Leo surged forward. Just as the razor-sharp blade was about to pierce his chest, his hands clapped together in front of him!

Thud!

A deep, heavy sound echoed.

The katana, carrying lethal momentum, was caught between Leo's bare palms and frozen mid-air!

Bare-handed blade catch!

Buzz!

The sharp katana trembled violently between Leo's palms, emitting a mournful hum, but it couldn't advance even a fraction of an inch!

"What?!"

Sasaki was horrified. He tried with all his might to pull the blade back, but it was as if it had been welded into Leo's hands—it wouldn't budge!

"Get lost!"

Leo roared, his right leg swinging like a battleaxe with an ear-splitting sonic boom, smashing into Sasaki's chest!

Boom!

Sasaki's ribcage caved in instantly. He spat out a massive mouthful of blood mixed with organ fragments and was sent flying, crashing heavily into the snow.

The katana slipped effortlessly into Leo's hand.

With a flick of his wrist, Leo hurled the katana like a javelin!

Thunk!

The blade embedded itself precisely in the snow between Sasaki's legs, its hilt still vibrating with a low hum.

Leo looked down at Sasaki, who lay sprawled like a dying dog, and sneered mockingly. "Weren't you just bragging about your bushido spirit?"

"Now you've lost. I've taken your sword. According to your Japanese customs, to preserve your so-called honor, you should pull out that blade and commit seppuku."

Leo crossed his arms, his eyes full of mockery. "Go on. Show me your backbone."

At the mention of "seppuku," Sasaki's body trembled violently.

He wasn't ready! He didn't want to die!

In the face of absolute terror, all talk of national glory and bushido evaporated!

Sasaki didn't dare touch the blade. He just trembled and crawled backward.

"Figures."

Leo laughed coldly, his contempt reaching its peak. "When push comes to shove, your bushido turns into bullshit."

"Since you won't commit seppuku, then you'd better start talking."

"Who's pulling the strings behind the Black Dragon Society? What conspiracy are you and the Gray Cloaks plotting? Tell me, and maybe I'll give you a quick death."

Sasaki gritted his teeth, clinging to his last shred of dignity, and shouted, "Never! I won't say anything! You Americans care about human rights! According to the Geneva Convention, you... you can't torture prisoners of war!"

At this utterly shameless excuse, not only did Leo laugh, but Ivy and the others burst into laughter as well.

"Prisoner of war? Geneva Convention?"

Leo looked at him like he'd just heard the funniest joke in the world. His eyes turned brutally cold. "Are you brain-damaged? I'm the Reaper, not some hypocritical politician who plays by the rules."

"In my eyes, you're not even a prisoner of war. You're just a dead dog waiting to be slaughtered!"

Leo waved his hand sharply, his voice ice-cold. "Olivia! Since this samurai doesn't even have the guts to pick up his own blade, he doesn't need those hands anymore."

"Pin him down. Cut both his hands off at the wrists!"

"Yes, Boss!"

Olivia responded coldly, instantly drawing the razor-sharp military knife strapped to her thigh and striding toward Sasaki.

Ivy and Charlotte grinned and stepped forward, pinning Sasaki's shoulders and legs to the snow.

"No! What are you doing?! Bastards! Let me go!"

Watching Olivia raise the gleaming blade, feeling the death radiating from its edge, Sasaki's last psychological defense crumbled!

Just as the knife was about to fall on his wrist—

"No! Please stop! Don't cut off my hands!"

Sasaki sobbed hysterically, screaming for mercy. "I'll talk! I'll tell you everything! Just please don't kill me!!!"